Architects of the Monolith
'Bloodline Bane: the Urban Curse' In addition to the Aloof Curse all Ventrue suffer, Architects of the Monolith are intrinsically linked to urban environments. All mundane dicepools and any Gilded Cage rituals are modified by the accessibility of the area the Architect is in at the time. 'Bloodline Disciplines' Auspex, Dominate, Gilded Cage, Resilience 'Gilded Cage' 'Blood Sorcery' Gilded Cage is a kind of Blood Sorcery, like Cruac and Theban Sorcery. Though it can be learned by any vampire, its secrets are jealously guarded by the Architects of the Monolith. All iterations of Blood Sorcery have five themes: Creation, Divination, Destruction, Protection, Transmutation. The first dot of Blood Sorcery grants two dots of Themes linked to that type of Sorcery, as well as a dot in the player's choice of the other three. Every time the character gains a new dot of the discipline itself, an extra dot is gained in a Theme the character already knows. Theme dots may be bought independently of the Ritual Discipline for 15 beats each. If a character somehow learns another variation of Blood Sorcery the Theme dots she already has at equal to or lower level than the new Discipline are usable with it, but she only gains one extra Theme dot rather than three when first learning the new Discipline. Linked Themes: '''Divination and Transmutation '''Sacrifice: All rituals cost 1 Willpower. Dice Pools: *''Improvised:'' Intelligence + Occult + Theme *''Creation: Wits + Crafts + Creation *''Destruction: ''Resolve + Intimidation + Destruction *''Divination: ''Intelligence + Investigation + Divination *''Protection: ''Resolve + Subterfuge + Protection *''Transmutation: ''Wits + Science + Transmutation The target number of successes is the total Theme dots used in the ritual (not just the highest), adjusted according to any Ritual Factors. '''Motifs': Urban, focused, deliberate. Focused: ''Gilded Cage rituals require that specific items (known as Means) be used as foci to align the will with the forces channeled, or that the caster be in a certain place (known as Ways) in order to activate a power. Ways and Means are not usually consumed by the ritual, and can be used repeatedly. ''Deliberate: ''Gilded Cage uses a combination of science and mysticism to enact the caster's will, and consequently rituals tend to be elaborate and formalised. All uses of the Gilded Cage require the caster to spend one Willpower point. ''Urban: ''The Gilded Cage focuses on controlling aspects of architecture and urban development. It only functions in urban environment, and the caster cannot use rituals of a higher dot rating than she has City Status in that city. 'Existing Rituals' • ''Paths of the Prey (Divination •) : This ritual allows the caster to locate a ready, willing mortal suitable for feeding on. The caster adds the ritual's Potency to her hunting roll for that night. This rite can be performed on another vampire after a 'consultation' with the caster in person. Extra successes are commonly spent on Range or Potency, and sometimes on Number of Targets. : Ways and Means: 'A detailed city-planning map of the area to be hunted. ''• Red Light (Divination •, Transmutation •) : This ritual applies the Lost condition to a subject, and penalizes the Wits + Streetwise roll to find his way by the ritual's Potency. This condition is roleplayed as the random functions of the city plaguing the subject - victims of this ritual hit every red light, are caught behind trucks that break down in the middle of the street, are detoured by construction, and are unable to find parking. Extra successes are commonly spent on Range, Duration, or Potency. : 'Ways and Means: '''A detailed city-planning map of the inaccessible locale. ''•• Green Light (Divination •, Protection ••) : Allows the caster to use secret detours, lucky coincidences, clear roads and traffic lights to help someone from one point to another, raising the effective Access of the area by the ritual's Potency. Extra successes are commonly spent on Area of Effect, Duration, and Potency. : 'Ways and Means: '''A planner's triangle, a map of the city, and a current schedule of the city's public transportation. ''•• Aura of the Monolith (Transmutation ••) : Enhances the caster's personal aura by linking her to a great structure. This grants bonus dice equal to the ritual's Potency on symbolically appropriate Social rolls. (For example, a courthouse might add to the caster's Persuasion and Intimidation, while an art gallery might add to her Expression.) Extra successes are commonly spent on Potency or Duration. : 'Ways and Means: '''The relevant structure must be within line of sight and visible to the naked eye. ''•• Eye of the Pyramid (Divination ••, Transmutation •) : The ritualist gains the ability to see or hear anything that occurs within the targeted building, from a whisper in the basement to the numbers turned on a penthouse safe. While the ritualist focuses she is deaf and blind to events in her physical presence. Physical contact of any kind with a projecting vampire brings her senses back to her body immediately. Extra successes are commonly spent on Duration or Size. : 'Ways and Means: '''A whole brick from the building. ''••• Gather the Herd (Transmutation •••) : This ritual subtly affects the ebb and flow of mortals already in transit, ushering a group of people to a target location despite their intentions to get elsewhere. Individuals equal to the Number of Targets arrive per turn, up to a limit of how many the Area of Effect can safely accommodate (approximately 5 people per yard radius, therefore following the progression of 'Defined Volume'.). If the Duration is a scene or longer, it can be assumed that the area is filled to capacity - a subtle and effective means to boost the popularity of a location such as a restaurant or club. Extra successes are commonly spent on Area of Effect and either Number of Targets or Duration. : 'Ways and Means: '''A park, parking lot, stadium, or other structure/area where people might normally gather. A formal invitation to the 'event' written in the caster's blood (which evokes no Vitae cost). ''•••• Lock the Gilded Cage (Creation •••, Divination ••••) : This ritual imprisons a subject within the city. The subject is unaware of the power applied to him, but reflexively rolls Resolve + Blood Potency to resist. If the ritual is successful, cars break down, trains derail, and roads are cut off by construction; if necessary, police barriers, sink-holes and flash floods make all mundane avenues of egress impossible. Additionally, the ritual blocks one supernatural attempt to travel or escape per Potency. The use of Celerity to move quickly does not count as a supernatural means of escape for this purpose, though a ritual such as Roving Hut ''or ''Metropolis of the United Diagram ''does. Extra successes are commonly spent on Range, Duration, or Potency. : '''Ways and Means: '''A legal building such as a courthouse or police station, and a picture or belonging of the victim. ''••••• Metropolis of the United Diagram (Divination •, Transmutation •••••) : The ritualist vanishes from her current location and appears at a target location within the same city, arriving instantaneously. She must have visited the location in person on a previous occasion, and the items she wears or carries in hand automatically travel with her. Extra successes are commonly spent on Range (expanding the distance traveled) or Number of Targets (allowing her to transport additional individuals or objects with her). : 'Ways and Means: '''A map of the city and a diamond of at least two carats. 'Modifiers +2 Power applies to a vampire with whom the user has a blood tie. - The character is unaffected by threats or distractions. -1 Per Health point lost to an attack. -1 to -3 The character is rushed or distracted, such as by invoking a ritual in combat or while trapped in a burning building. Success gained on a meditation roll for the night offsets interruption penalties on a one-for-one basis. 'Source' The original version is from ''Bloodlines: the Hidden, ''pp 30-7. This Blood & Smoke revision is by Is_A_Becca, and is subject to tweaks and changes. Category:Gilded Cage Category:Blood Sorcery Category:Unique Disciplines Category:Notes to self Category:Translations Category:Bloodlines